Tartarus
by Bibliophilic12
Summary: After House of Hades, Rick left us with another cliffhanger, not quite as bad as after Mark of Athena, but still a cliffhanger. So here is a story about after what I imaging Blood of Olympus will be like. Characters may be a little OOC. Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or Heroes of Olympus.


**AN: I keep thinking about what will happen now that Percy and Annabeth have escaped Tartarus and they have closed the Doors of Death. There will be a time gap that will be the 5th book i the 1st chapter, mainly because after the huge shocks in The House of Hades I have no ideas about what will happen.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own PJO or HoO, sadly, Rick Riordan does.**

**Warning: Contains spoilers for the Heroes of Olympus books 1-4. I will not be including Nico and Jason's scene with Cupid in any of my stories because I can't get my mind around it. I may include Calypso in the future, but probably not. Sorry if the characters seem a bit OOC, but I'm trying my best and I've obsessed over the PJO for the past almost 4 years, so I'll try to keep them really in character. Also, I'm going to use 1st person, but in the beginning, I was trying to do 3rd person, but I failed, so I changed it all back to 1st. Sorry if this confuses you, or if I didn't get it all fixed.**

**NOW, to the story.**

* * *

Hazel's POV

Reunited At Last

Hazel didn't know exactly what had happened to the others during the past few days, but she knew that they had been through a lot and they would probably be a little jumpy for at least a few days, I mean, Nico had been and he'd had at least over a week to get better. Hazel also knew that the entire crew of the _Argo II_ would probably be attacking them with questions.

Reyna, Nico, Coach Hedge, and the Athena Parthenos had just left, when Percy and Annabeth collapsed on the ground in exhaustion and everyone that remained behind had smothered them in a hug.

"So, what exactly happened to you guys? Or do you not feel like reliving it just yet?" Piper asked, concerned for her friends.

"Well, I don't know about you, Annabeth, but I want to take a nap. I haven't slept since we left..." Percy trailed off, completely ignoring anyone but Annabeth.

"Yeah, I fell so bad about having to leave them when we did, but it was our only chance. We wouldn't have been able to fight them all off without Damasen, and Bob," Annabeth's voice broke sometime around when she said, 'it was our only chance.'

"Okay, so I guess it's settled then. We will take a nap and when we all wake, we can have dinner and talk over our separate adventures, though some won't shared if the person doesn't want to talk about it. Now, get to your rooms," Hazel answered when the couple looked on the verge of having a break-down in the middle of the deck.

"Good plan, Hazel. Though I don't know if our lovely new praetor will approve, even if the plan came from his girlfriend," Leo Valdez said jokingly.

"Oh, ha ha Valdez, now I agree and I say that if you guys will stop with the praetor thing, then I'll keep from having to have to try to decide whether I really want to change into an animal and charge you down with the new army of ghosts that I command at my side," Frank retorted and then I knew that he was serious about the 'stop with the praetor' thing when he brought up the ghost army from when we were in the House of Hades.

"Okay, when you guys stop arguing, I think that you need to take a little look at the couple of demigods that we just pulled from Tartarus and see that they are asleep," Piper said and I could hear the charm speak in her voice and I was forced to turn my head along with the other members of the Seven of the Great Prophecy.

"Well, that was an effective way to end an argument and point something out all at the same time," Jason Grace said.

"Yeah, well. I could only think of one way to do both things, so I just joined the two. Now, I think that we should move them to the mess hall next to each other so that they don't wake up thinking that they're still in Tartarus and we're monsters that separated the two of them."

"Okay," I heard everyone mutter and the three guys went to pick Percy up. Piper and I went to pick up Annabeth, and all of them soon realized, with worry, that the couple was much lighter-in both weight and skin-tone-than when they had last seen them.

"Are you sure that they are okay?" a worried-looking Leo asked.

"Well, they're breathing, they are back from Tartarus, and they seem to be having a peaceful sleep, I'd say that they are fine."

"Okay, good."

Then, as soon as the couple reached the chairs, they both woke with a start and started to both bring out swords, Riptide and one the group had never seen before, when they seemed to remember where they were and what had happened and they released their tight hold on each other.

"Ugh, man. I thought we would never be back," Percy joked and for the second time, the group could hear the hurt in his voice and wonder what had happened to the two most powerful demigods.

"Yeah, I'm hungry, I just realized that we haven't eaten before we set out in search for the Death Mist," Annabeth replied and at that moment, you could see the pain they had went through, reflected in those eyes that had once been bright and full of love for each other and hear it in their voices.

"Yeah, where are we?" Percy asked and he seemed not to have noticed us yet or that he was in the Mess Hall of the _Argo __II_.

"Hey, guys. Sorry to interrupt your conversation, but..." I said and stopped when there were two swords (when did Annabeth get a sword? **[I know this, but Hazel doesn't]**) in my face and two worried and tense demigods in front of me. Then, they seemed to realize who I was and put away the swords and relaxed and smiled.

"Hey, Hazel. Sorry, that was a reflex after we saw Kelli and from then on, when we heard something other than Bob's voice telling us where to go," Percy said.

"Hey, Perce. Well, anyways, what Hazel was going to say was, 'What do you want to eat?'" Leo said.

"Anything. I'm starving, plus, I think that I need another nap," Annabeth said.

"As long as it isn't any kind of monster or fire-water and drakon soup," Percy laughed.

"Okay, deal. No monsters, fire-water, or drakon soup. Which I still don't understand by the way," Leo promised.

"It was involved in how we survived, but I still hated it. The only kind of monster that I want to see is either Small Bob, Bob, or even Damasen, the friendly giant. I just wish that we hadn't had to leave them alone during the fight," Annabeth said and her face saddened.

"Okay, so when you finish eating, do you two mind trying to tell us what happened while you were trapped?"

"I guess, I mean it all started with that River of Misery and ended with Bob and Tartarus. I just hope that they are okay."

"Sure, though we may skip over just a few things so that it will be easier for us to not have to relive them."

"Okay, so you will be able to take another nap after you explain. Now start talking, while Repair Boy over here makes some food for us. I don't think that you guys have had his first-quest-famous tacos," Piper said.

"No, we haven't. Now, let's see. Where to start our story. Ah, yes. Well, after we fell, we found a river and we went to it and we followed it and walked in it. What we didn't know was that it was the River of Misery. Then, Annabeth over there got us out and we came across several other rivers, some monsters that when killed they...um...well..." Percy said hesitantly as if what he was trying to say was too painful for him to bear. He looked on the verge of tears and you could suddenly see all the hurt and pain in his eyes.

"They cause you the harm that you have inflicted on all of your enemies. We felt what the monsters feel every time we kill them. It hurt and I never realized how many monsters we had killed. Then there was the blindness thing and when I couldn't find you..." Annabeth continued and she tightened her grip on Percy's arm.

"Yeah, I wish I had found less hurtful ways to get rid of monsters before. I just hope that Bob is okay," Percy finished. "I still can't _believe_ that _she_ of all people, would curse me."

"Well, you had to leave her, there was no other way, and I'm sure that she doesn't blame you for it. She would understand."

"Yeah, I guess. It's just seeing you..."

"Yeah, I know and it didn't feel great for me either. I still can't believe that we just _had to_ kill that certain one, but noo! We can't have any luck at all."

"Hey you guys, sorry to interrupt this nice little couple grieving moment, but who _exactly_ cursed you?" Leo asked.

* * *

Percy's POV

"Hey you guys, sorry to interrupt this nice little couple grieving moment, but who _exactly_ cursed you?" Leo asked.

"Well, it was...um...Calypso." Leo visibly paled at this and I got the feeling that something had happened when we were gone.

"Calypso?" Leo squeaked, which was very unlike him.

"Yeah, I was sent to her island, Ogygia, after I..._accidentally_ blew up Mount Saint Helen a few summers ago. It might have only been two or three summers ago, but it seems like much longer." I got the feeling that they saw hurt and sadness in my eyes because they only stared at me and even Jason and Annabeth, who had been in the wars also and had seen the countless deaths and hard times of the two Camps, looked at him with a mix of several emotions: pain, understanding, anger, love, and even a bit of jealousy at the fact that he was powerful enough to blow up a mountain at the age of fourteen (this didn't only come from Jason, surprisingly **[Don't think I don't love Jason, I do. Especially after everthing that he did for Nico and the Greeks when their leader was missing. I just might like Percy a _tiny bit_ better. I mean, come on, look at all that he's done: the most recent being him falling into Tartarus, not just _with_, but _for_ Annabeth.**).

"I think that this is all we can relive right now, so if you'll excuse us, we're going to the infirmary, where you can help with a few small injuries and then, I think we'll consent to staying in there for a little while. I don't know if we'll have anything really that bad that has to be treated, but I think that would be best," Annabeth said.

"Yeah, I'm gonna go pass out in the infirmary, so see you guys. Come on, Annabeth. Come with me, I can help you because of your ankle, which I'm amazed you didn't mention the entire time."

* * *

***Time skip to after Blood of Olympus. Don't mind me***

Leo's POV

So, we sat in the mess hall at 1:00 that day as we waited impatiently for the _Argo II_ to arrive back at Camp Half-Blood. Percy and Annabeth were still sleeping in Percy's room, we know because they both had nightmares for the entire time since they came back and we just allowed them to stay together, and none of us could deal with the nightmares.

So we tried to figure out what to do when we got back to camp. "... _Argo II, _right Leo?"_  
_

"Sorry, what?" I hadn't even been paying attention, I had just been playing with some wires and stuff.

"We were saying that we should all just stay on the _Argo II_ for a while when we get back to camp. We have to go to Camp Jupiter anyways." Piper said, and I realized that she had been asking for my opinion.

"I think that's a good idea, plus we don't exactly know how they'll react with that many people and we didn't exactly notify people about their little trip. We should stay on the _Argo II_ and just explain things before we bring them out to meet them again."

"Good point, I think that we should try to get there and explain while they're asleep. Now, It's Pipes and my turn to go check on them. Let's go."

With that, Jason and Piper went to Percy's room to check on the couple that is known as 'Percabeth' in the Aphrodite cabin, and we've sort of taken to calling them that now, as they cannot be separated. One time, we tried to wake them up, it was soon after they got back and it did not end well. Piper ended up with a bone sword at her throat and I had Riptide pointed at me, and they were _still asleep_!

When Jason and Piper came back today, however, they seemed perfectly fine and had Percy and Annabeth behind them. It must have been one of those times when they hadn't really been asleep and had been either faking, or had just recently woken up of their own accord and came then.

"Morning guys, I was wondering when we would wind up back at camp," Percy said.

"Well, we should be back around ten in the morning, so you guys probably won't be awake when we get back. I just want to tell you guys that we will be staying on the _Argo II_ when we get back until we go back to the Roman camp."

"Okay. Now, I think that we deserve food. I want to get to bed now, so that we can try to be up to get a glimpse of Camp Half-Blood for the first time in almost a year!" Percy exclaimed.

"Yeah, I have plates for you two and I need to talk to Piper and Jason about sleeping arrangements if we can't stay on the ship. We'll have to deal with our resident Romans and their sleeping deals at camp, I mean, Frank probably won't want to stay in the same cabin as Clarisse."

"Yeah, I've heard stories about her and I don't want to have to stay with her while I sleep. I think I would be too afraid to go to sleep," Frank said, which supported my claim.

"Okay, we understand. I'm gonna stuff this food in my face and go pass out in my room, so bye!" Percy said cheerily.

With that, Jason, Piper, and I walked up on deck to continue our conversation.

* * *

"Percy and Annabeth usually only talk to each other, I think we're making progress with them."

"Well, it has been over a month since they got back," I said and waited for a second, trying to figure out how to say what I was going to say. "I've been delaying our return to get a gauge on them and I think they're starting to suspect something."

"We most certainly have," a voice said from behind us.

"Annabeth!"

"I heard you say that you have been delaying our arrival and I understand why you've done it. We don't know how we would react to being around a huge crowd like that of camp and if we had to be apart...Well, let's just say that it wouldn't be pretty," and with that Annabeth walked off, not even giving us time to react.

* * *

It was 9:30 the next morning and we'd made it back to Camp Half-Blood faster than I'd expected. Festus told me that we were ten minutes from landing and I figured I could get us there faster, but didn't feel like pushing my ship too much. Percy and Annabeth were still asleep like we'd hoped and we knew we'd have to explain things to the campers before they were decapitated.

"Alright guys, we have started our decent into Camp Half-Blood and we'll land in about five minutes."

"Okay, so Jason, Leo, and I will go out first and then Frank and Hazel can come out and we can let you guys meet the campers. I don't know how Clarisse will react to you, Frank, but don't be afraid. Sometimes they we think they can smell fear. Hazel, there was the whole Big Three pact, so it's strange to have this many children of the Big Three and I think that the Hunters are supposed to be there."

"Wow, I hope they are there so that I can see my big sis... that's now my little sis and is immortal, and hates boys. Yeah, that's not strange at all."

"Don't worry about it man, we all know that she loves ya," I said.

"Now, we're about to land, so hang on."

"Okay, I'm gonna go check on Percy and Annabeth," Hazel said.

"Good, now when we land I'll start talking and you guys just don't say anything unless I need help. I want to try to explain things before they wake up and it'll be more efficient if only one person talks," Piper said and she didn't use Charmspeak, but we all nodded and agreed.

"Hi, guys. How are you doing?" I said as we came out on deck and were met with the entire camp.

"Leo!" Piper yelled and slapped my head.

"OW!"

"Oh, shut up already and let me speak!"

"Yes ma'am!" I said and saluted Piper.

"Alright, so you already know the three of us, Jason, Leo, and I, but these are Hazel Levesque and Frank Zhang, our Roman friends, and the other members of the Seven of the Second Great Prophecy. So, just so we don't have problems, we wanted to explain some things and warn you. We don't want to cause any accidental decapitation. You see, during our quest, Percabeth fell..." she couldn't say anymore and Hazel walked up and took her below.

"What did she mean?" a random camper that I couldn't make out asked.

"Well, she meant that Percy and Annabeth, or Percabeth, as we've started calling them, fell into a chasm in Rome after Annabeth had recovered the Athena Parthenos, being the first and only child of Athena to even come back from the Mark of Athena quest and to face Arachne," there were gasps from a cluster of blonde kids with intelligent gray eyes and a shiver ran through that crowd.

"Yeah, we know. Still, she didn't come out of it unscathed. She had a broken ankle and then, well, we came in and the room was weakened. Percy rushed down to help her and she was tangled in silk. There was a chasm in the room, the room was only staying up with the silk strings, and they fell through the floor after Arachne, and that chasm led down to Tartarus." There were gasps all around the crowd.

Suddenly, a scream rang throughout the air.

"Leo! I thought you said they were sleeping fine!" Jason shouted.

"Well, that's what I thought! They haven't done anything in a week, at least, not that we knew of and heard! Hazel and Piper are down there already, let them deal with it this time and we can finish explaining!" I yelled.

"What's going on?"

"Well, it's probably Percy. It may be Annabeth, though. There's never really anything we can do, but we can be there and check on them. We never really know what to do. They're just so different."

"What do you mean?" a girl in a group that had silvery clothes asked. I recognized her a Natasha from the time when the Hunters had been at camp before we left on the quest.

"Um, well, you can't honestly expect to go to... there and back and not be different. They rarely talk to us. Even when they do, it's brief and they often get a faraway look in their eyes and we can't get much more out of them. They're constantly tense, except when they're alone. One time I put a camera in their room and they sat together on their bed crying for a bit before actually getting to sleep.

"They jump at the slightest noise. They don't like loud noises and don't do well in crowded areas, so we had to time it so that they would be asleep when we arrived so we could explain things. Now, don't bother them and if you guys don't mind, we'll be sleeping on the ship just so that we don't cause certain problems with sleeping arrangements that had been made on the ship.

"Oh, and by the way, try to be quiet when they come out here and don't all rush on them. We almost lost our heads, seriously, a few times when we startled them and don't give them grief. Please, don't bother them. They've pretty much changed all of their habits. They stay in their room most of the time and come to eat for a bit before going back. Other times, they're found in the stables, like that one time when Hedge was still with us, early on, before Rome. We just want you guys to keep things quiet to help them recover. We really don't want to separate them, and we'll be leaving in a few days."

"Where will you go?"

"Well, we have to see my mom, and her dad, and the Roman camp should be checked on with rebuilding, we all agreed on that."

We all jumped because we hadn't heard the other four come out. Percy and Annabeth were tense and were their eyes were constantly darting around nervously and they were holding tightly to each other. They looked pale and we knew that they'd had a nightmare.

"Hi, we're back," Percy said lightly.

"Perseus Jackson! Where have you been?!" Thalia screeched. Percy flinched and Annabeth grabbed him tighter. They both started to back away as people came foreword, completely disregarding everything that I said.

"Children! Back off. They need rest, which they can't get with you mobbing them and scaring them," Chiron shouted.

I noticed that Percy had one hand in his pocket and Annabeth had her hand clenched on her sword hilt. I knew that they were close to drawing their weapons and the Seven caught on. We all stepped in front of them and we got the crowd to back off. Percy and Annabeth suddenly weren't quite as tense and the Seven moved away.

Nico had come from the cabins area, followed by Will Solace, Apollo head camper, and went up to Percy and Annabeth.

"Hey, how are you guys?"

"We're... well as good as we can be," Annabeth answered.

"Yeah, I understand. Things will be more normal soon, I think you will be fine, as long as you stay together."

"Thanks, Nico. We were wondering, though. Are you going to stay here this time, or will you be headed back to stay with your father?"

"I'm going to go back to the Underworld, but first I'll be meeting you at Camp Jupiter when you arrive."

"Okay, well, I think we should go see my siblings," Annabeth said.

"Yeah, they were all pretty worried about you."

"Okay, we'll see you later Nico."

"'Bye," Percy said.

"See you guys."

So, Percy and Annabeth walked by us and went over to the blonde-haired, grey-eyed group of people. I recognized Malcolm at the front, and he came forward, smiling, and walked up to talk to them.

Piper and I went to meet our siblings, while Jason went to Thalia and her Hunters.

* * *

Percy's POV

"Hi, Malcolm. How have you been at camp while we were all gone?" Annabeth tiredly asked.

"Things have been pretty good, we were a bit surprised when Nico, Coach Hedge, and Reyna showed up with the Athena Parthenos," Malcolm Wright, Annabeth's favorite half-brother (even if she won't admit to having favorites), replied.

"Good, at least something good came out of that mini-quest. Everything else in that was a disaster. I did beat... Arachne, though."

"That was the best part, other than getting the Parthenos back, of course."

"Yeah, that was a good part Percy, and when you came, of course."

"Yeah, it's always fun to see me. Right now, though," Percy yawned. "Annabeth, I'm tired."

"Okay, Percy. We'll go back to the ship. Besides, we're going to go see Sally tomorrow."

"Yay! I can't wait to see mom. I miss her, and I have to explain going missing for almost a year, the quest, and why I now have a tattoo on my arm."

"Oh, yes. Sally will be really mad at you for that one. Definitely. Let's go. Bye Malcolm."

"Bye, Annabeth."

* * *

Malcolm's POV

Piper walked up to me after Percy and Annabeth left.

"Did you notice?" she asked.

"Notice what?"

"How they drifted off of the conversation with you. How they ended up just talking to each other. How they just seemed to agree to go back to sleep. I think they got tired of being around so many people. They aren't really the best around crowds right now. I'm glad they talked to you though, they rarely talk to anyone but each other since the battle. I don't know. Maybe they were affected by Tartarus more mentally than physically. They always go on the deck every morning and night and they say something about Bob, a friendly giant, and Small Bob.

"I just don't know. They should be getting to their room by now. We had to let them stay together, because it just makes it worse if they get separated. We Iris Messaged both of their parents, and apparently, her dad, step-mom, and step-brothers moved to a hotel over here in New York when they heard we were coming back. I'll see you later Malcolm. We're heading out early tomorrow, and I think Leo's making tacos tonight."

"Bye, Piper. Enjoy your tacos. Tell her that she's my favorite sister, will you? I never got to tell her."

"Sure thing."

* * *

**AN: There's the first chapter! It took a while to write. It's pretty long. Over 4,000 words. I'm proud. I'm working on the second chapter, I have the third, because i changed my mind and added a chapter in between them, so I'm working on it. The Seven will go to school and meet Percy's mortal, and some demigod, friends. Sorry if they're a little OOC. Malcolm isn't in it much, and Percy and Annabeth have got to be a little affected at least from their stay in Tartarus. It seems like Rick down-played Tartarus a lot. Does anyone know how long they were there? **

**Also, I have decided to put a question at he bottom of my chapters:**

**What is Reyna's last name? Review and tell me.**


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